Suction-cleaner.



I G. G. SGHMITZ.

. SUCTION OLEANEB.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1, 1910.

Patented Aug. 25, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

GLG. SGHMITZ.

SUCTION CLEANER.

APPLICATION FILED HALL 1910. 1, 1 08,248. Patented Aug. 25; 19m

2 BHEETQ SHEET 2- UNITED "STATES PATENT orrion.

GEORGE C. SGHMITZ, OF RACINE, WISGON SIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO I RICHMOND RADIATOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

SUCTION CL-EANER.

' Application filed mm. 1, 1910. Serial No. 546,640.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 25, 1914 which the entire apparatus is moved over the surface to be cleaned.

In portable vacuum or suction cleaners of the hand operated type the parts are light and therefore the distribution of the weight is not a matter of great importance, but in motor drivenmachines the increased weight brings up new problems. In the latter class of machines there have been two types. In the first type the motor, the suction pump or fan, and the dust receptacle or separator have been placed in a more or less portable I box or wagon, and the suction nozzle or dust collector has been connected to this box or wagon by means of a hose. In the second type the entire mechanism has been mounted in a frame or carriage so that the weight is borne by the carriage when the mechanism is passed over the surface to be cleaned.

I Both of these types are portable in a sense,

tacle is 'also'carried on the apparatus,-but

but the .use of the box or the carriage involves additionalweight and size.

Bymyinvention I materially decrease both the size and weight of the machine and produce a machine which istruly portable in the sense that it may be carried about with as great ease as a carpet sweeper. I By this 'inventionthemotor and fan or pump are located directly above and in close proximity to the suction nozzle, so that the Jwelght is borne principally by the suction nozzle, andqa' handle, which bears little or none of the weight of these parts, is attached as near as possible to the center of gravity of the' mass, consisting of the motor,

an and suction nozzle. The dust recepas its weight neednot be great, it may be carried partly or entirely on'the handle. Preferably I use an electric motor and a rotary. fan .directly connected thereto, and in'this form I make theoperating handle electric cable through or along it. When this cable is connected to a source of current, the operator merely pushes the weight over adjustable as to inclination, and pass the I the floor without supporting any substantial weight on the handle.-

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a 'side elevation; Fig. 2 is a plan view, on an enlarged scale, with the motor removed and the motor casing .cut through the line II-II of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged centralvertical section of the main parts of the machine; and Fig. 4 is an enlarged central vertical section on a plane at right angles to the plane of Fig. 3.

l is the motor-casing mounted on top of the fan casing 2. The fan casing has an outlet passage 3 and an inlet passage 4, the latter connecting with the suction nozzle 4.

5 is the operating handle, and 6 is the dust receptacle attached at one end to the fan outlet 3 and at the other end to the handle 5 by means of hook 7 The handle 5 is attached to a bracket 8 on the motor casing, and may .be adjusted to the desired inclination and there set by means of the .wing nut 9.

The motor 10 may be of any desired type, and it receives its current from the cable-11, which preferably passes through' or along the handle. 'This cable may extend for a considerable length beyond the handle, so as to permit the machine to be used over a considerable area from a-given .point of connection, and it may be provided at its end with a connecting plug (not shown) to permit of attachment to any convenient socket, such as an electric light bracket. Preferably I provide a switch 12 at a convenient point on the machine so that it may be stopped or started without returning to the point of connection.

At the lower end of the motor shaft there,

-limit myself to any particular construction.

Nor doI limit myself herein to any particular formof dust receptacle, so long as it will retain the dust andfallow the air to pass through it, but in the form-shown it is a line with the -no zzle,"so'that the whole casing is normally vertical when in use,

bag made of fabricremovably attached to the outlet 3, as by a ringand bayonet joint 15, and at the other end it is normally closed by spring clip 16. The handle- 5 may be curved atits free end, as at 1'7, to form a grip for'the operator. The under surface of the suction nozzle may be rounded, as at 18, tomake the machine-pass more readily over the surface to be cleaned.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The cable 11 is connected to a source of electric current, the handle 5 se at a convenient angle for the operator, and the current turned on at the switch 12. The operator then passesthe suction nozzle over and in contact with the surface to be cleaned, and the fan draws a large volume of air through the opening let in the suction nozzle, carrying the particles of dust and dirt into the nozzle, through the fan and out through the exhaust opening 3 into the dust receptacle 6, where the dust is retained while the air passes through the material of which the receptacle is made. When a sufficient quantity of dirt has been collected, the dust bag 6 maybe removed, emptied and replaced; I preferto drive the fan at high speed, so as tomove a large volume of air without producing a very high vacuum, for I find that volume rather than vacuum is essential to remove the dust which is in and under the carpets, etc.

' These-suction cleaners are usually used on floors, butthey are occasionally used for cleaning hangings, walls,"etc., and while my complete machine is so light in. weight (less than ten pounds) that it, may be usedfor eitherfpurpose, itis particularly adapted and designedfor floor use. For this purpose the mountingof thein'otor and fan above and causes the greater portion of the weight of these parts to be on the fiO0I,-8J1d the attachment' of the handle to this about the balancing point lightens the laborot the "operator.

ing arranged so that the center of gravity thereof will be in a verticaltrans'verse plane passing through the suction nozzle when it I is in its operative position,-

2. Apparatus for cleaning floors and floor coverings by suction, comprisinga rotary fan, a motor operatively connected thereto,"

a suction nozzle adapted to support and carry said motor and-fan, a handle for use in moving saidsuction nozzle over the surface to be cleaned and secured. above the suction nozzle, and, a dust receptacle carried by the apparatus and connected to the exhaust from said fan, said parts being arranged so that the center of gravity thereof will besubstantially in a central transversevertical plane passing through, the suction nozzle when the same tive positlon.

r 3. Appara coverings-by suction comprising a rotary? fan, ,a motor operativelyconnected thereto, 7

a suction nozzle, said 'motor'and fan being supported entirely by the suction nozzle and T is held in its operatus for cleaning floors andnotn operating handle, and-a dust receptaclesupported 'in-part'by said nozzle when the same is in its operative positioni In testimony whereof I have myJhand in the presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses'iw EtBnRr lB, Hangan w? Kenna.

I cnogc. scrnrrrna i hereunto-set 

